[ad_1]
It’s not as if Derrick Lewis takes anything about his opponent seriously, or takes himself at all seriously in interviews. But UFC Vegas 15 looks genuinely confused at Curtis Blaydes’ recent claim that he has been protected by his promoter.
Look at his CV, he replies.
“I don’t know what he was thinking, because I’ve fought just about everyone in the division before,” Lewis told reporters on a virtual media day for Saturday’s fight card at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. “I don’t know why he would say that.
In a historically shallow divide, Lewis’s opponent list is longer than most heavyweights. He even fought for the heavyweight title, losing an unbalanced competition to ex-champion Daniel Cormier. He currently holds the record for most knockouts in the big-man division at 11.
A good, exciting game and a move upmarket are the only expectations for Lewis, who has won his last three games.
“I want to be more entertaining for a main event,” he said. “I want the fans to be happy. Just to lie down and pray and be boring, fans will switch channels. Just be entertaining.
Lewis delivers primarily on this front, although he’s had a few pretty forgettable fights. But until he finds out what awaits him in the Octagon, it’s mostly about having fun by answering questions about the fight ahead. He said those who logged in on Saturday night would see him battling Blaydes, who made his opponents smother the mat like a calling card.
“I think I’m going to show him I’m one of the meanest blue belts in Texas,” Lewis said. “If he wants a wrestling match I’m sure he won’t try to knock me down. I believe he feels that my weakness is really standing, because I am so predictable. So I don’t even think we’re going to go to the ground. I think he will try to beat me. My game plan is to shoot it from the start.
Asked about his vow to take the sport more seriously and pursue the physical transformation that eliminated his need to cut weight to reach the heavyweight limit, Lewis joked that he was planning on getting heavy.
“I’m probably going to be low on weight,” he told MMA Fighting. “That’s what I’m looking for the most. It’ll probably weigh 10 pounds. So we’re just trying to go through this week and try to put on some weight, but there’s a lady walking around every room, eating everything on my face. She’s having a sandwich, a smoothie, so I don’t even think I’ll try to do more. It’s all his fault.
“You must smell this food that she is eating.” I don’t want to lose weight. This is delicious.”
Lewis never missed the ladder, of course. He’ll be ready to face the Blaydes on Saturday, and none of the pontificates that led to the fight will make much of a difference. At this point, it’s just a matter of doing a job.
“It’s just a typical crab in the bucket, one of those black guys,” Lewis joked of Blaydes. “He doesn’t want to see another black come to America. Just typical. “
[ad_2]
Source link